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The GPL was never needed.
"The GPL2 was brilliant. If it was not for Richard Stallman, we would NOT be where we are today with Linux."

While this may be technically correct... we wouldn't be exactly where we are today... without the GPL we wouldn't be in a much different position overall. Free software, open source software, whatever you call it... this kind of software and this kind of software development didn't originate with Stallman. The first open-source implementation of a UNIX programming environment was the Software Tools project, which came from the Bell Labs developers back when UNIX was almost unheard of outside academia. There were multiple open C compilers before and after GCC, starting with Ron Cain's "Small C" published in Dr Dobbs' Journal in the late '70s.

If it wasn't for the AT&T vs Berkeley lawsuit, BSD would have been available a year earlier, and Linus himself has said that if BSD was available a year earlier there wouldn't have been such a thing as Linux.

And the GPL didn't do anything to help there. No, it was Berkeley's long-standing attribution clause that let UCB fight USG to a standstill and keep BSD free. An earlier version of the attribution clause in the BSD license that Stallman fought against and finally managed to get removed.

If the FSF had never existed, if the GPL had never existed, we'd be using BSD (quite possibly a variant of BSD spearheaded by Linus... the man is amazingly good at simply getting along with people) instead of Linux in our open systems, and very little otherwise would have changed.
Posted by: Resuna   Posted on: 09/27/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Who needs to listen?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
Richard Stallman is one of the most inteligent people on the planet. Yes,  DonnieBoy | 09/27/06
Simply not true.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
Richard Stallman is looking out for our freedoms. He wants to make sure  DonnieBoy | 09/27/06
Sorry Stallman has an agenda which has nothing to do with freedom  maldain | 09/27/06
I agree, FORCING people to his  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
no force possible. Take GPL3 or leave it, just like Microsoft software  stevey_d | 09/27/06
There should not be any ambiguity  A.Sinic | 09/27/06
Richard Stallman's extremism is finally coming home to roost  A.Typical Zork | 09/27/06
Hear! Hear!  techboy_z | 09/27/06
That's a non-starter  NetArch. | 09/27/06
More to it...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
AMEN!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
FSF rebuts anti-GPLv3 claims  Loverock Davidson | 09/27/06
The GPL is exactly why so many have contributed. The idea that others using  DonnieBoy | 09/27/06
FSF is right!  Linux Geek | 09/27/06
No, FSF is wrong!  techboy_z | 09/27/06
Proprietary drivers might be a good thing, but the DRM tricks so you can't  DonnieBoy | 09/27/06
But that should be a CHOICE  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
As you have said before..  Patrick Jones | 09/27/06
Correction...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
But I do agree on one point...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
How?  Patrick Jones | 09/27/06
The GPL2 was brilliant. If it was not for Richard Stallman, we would NOT be  DonnieBoy | 09/27/06
I see your problem...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
The GPL was never needed.  Resuna | 09/27/06
You're mistaken  stevey_d | 09/27/06
GPL2 is a brilliant peice of lawyering.  maldain | 09/27/06
Remember, with Micorosft's EULA, there are not open discussions, it is  DonnieBoy | 09/27/06
Trying to point to MS about a GPL problem is hilarious.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
For end users, the GPL3 is about 1000x better than the MS EULA.  DonnieBoy | 09/27/06
That is YOUR opinion and is NOT shared  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
The vast majority haven't heard of the GPL  stevey_d | 09/27/06
That may be true but GPL 2 is even better for the end user than GPL 3.  maldain | 09/27/06
Simple equation: ...  Vily Clay | 09/27/06
OK, step back from Mao's Little Red Book  maldain | 09/27/06
This is too complicated for your level, maldain. Grow up if you can. (NT)  Vily Clay | 09/27/06
Way to many drugs when you were younger.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/27/06
You're right  maldain | 09/27/06
2 MS pets ? maldain and No_Ax discuss human issues. It's funny. (NT)  Vily Clay | 09/27/06
Convicted MS pet No_Ax tries to match with people - no luck yet. (NT)  Vily Clay | 09/27/06
How about this?  ken_ballard@... | 09/27/06
At least you tried to think, ken_ballard@... .  Vily Clay | 09/27/06
Excuse me...  ken_ballard@... | 09/28/06
Keep trying, ken_ballard@...? it?s always good. But try harder ...  Vily Clay | 09/28/06
Re: Keep trying, ken_ballard@...? it?s always good. But try harder ...  ken_ballard@... | 09/29/06
You love false claims because you love fairy tales. Try reality.  Vily Clay | 09/30/06
Why not simply use a different license?  kraterz | 09/27/06
Yep he could make the Linus Licence  stevey_d | 09/27/06

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